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The UK summer heatwave of 2018 and public concern over energy security

Author

Listed:
  • Shaun Larcom

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Po-Wen She

    (University of Cambridge
    National Institute of Economic and Social Research)

  • Terry Gevelt

    (University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

The UK summer heatwave of 2018 led to changes in consumer behaviour, including large increases in electricity demand due to increased use and intensity of refrigeration and air-conditioning devices1,2. Although the United Kingdom experienced its equal hottest summer on record, the extreme temperatures were concentrated in the south and east of England3. Here we exploit the regional variation to test for the effect of experiencing extreme temperatures on perceptions of resource security and on related pro-environmental behaviour. We analyse data from 2,189 individuals across the UK over a 7 day period and use a difference-in-differences estimation to compare responses of individuals in regions subjected to extreme temperatures with those of individuals in regions that were not subjected to extreme temperatures4. We show that exposure to extreme temperatures had a large and statistically significant effect on perceptions of energy security but not on stated pro-environmental behaviour. We find less evidence that extreme temperatures had an effect on perceptions of food and water security.

Suggested Citation

  • Shaun Larcom & Po-Wen She & Terry Gevelt, 2019. "The UK summer heatwave of 2018 and public concern over energy security," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(5), pages 370-373, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:9:y:2019:i:5:d:10.1038_s41558-019-0460-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0460-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Congmin Peng & Po-Wen She & Jr-Tsung Huang, 2020. "Seasonal Temperature and Economic Growth in China's Major Cities," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 21(2), pages 471-482, November.
    2. Andrew M. Linke & Frank D. W. Witmer & John O’Loughlin, 2020. "Do people accurately report droughts? Comparison of instrument-measured and national survey data in Kenya," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1143-1160, October.
    3. Seung Kyum Kim & James K. Hammitt, 2022. "Hurricane risk perceptions and housing market responses: the pricing effects of risk-perception factors and hurricane characteristics," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 114(3), pages 3743-3761, December.
    4. Dexter V. L. Hunt & Zeerak Shahab, 2021. "Sustainable Water Use Practices: Understanding and Awareness of Masters Level Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-29, September.
    5. Diekert, Florian & Goeschl, Timo & König-Kersting, Christian, 2024. "The Behavioral Economics of Extreme Event Attribution," Working Papers 0741, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    6. Rodríguez-Cruz, Luis Alexis & Niles, Meredith, 2020. "Puerto Rican Farmers' Psychological Awareness of Climate Change, and Adaptation Perceptions after Hurricane Maria," SocArXiv e27k4, Center for Open Science.
    7. Paul M. Lohmann & Andreas Kontoleon, 2023. "Do Flood and Heatwave Experiences Shape Climate Opinion? Causal Evidence from Flooding and Heatwaves in England and Wales," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 86(1), pages 263-304, October.
    8. Joseph P. Reser & Graham L. Bradley, 2020. "The nature, significance, and influence of perceived personal experience of climate change," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(5), September.
    9. Li, Zheng-Zheng & Li, Yameng & Huang, Chia-Yun & Peculea, Adelina Dumitrescu, 2023. "Volatility spillover across Chinese carbon markets: Evidence from quantile connectedness method," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

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